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Subject: Whistling Green Pigeon 紅頭綠鳩 [Print This Page]
Author: madcat    Time: 27/11/2012 17:49     Subject: Whistling Green Pigeon 紅頭綠鳩

Po Toi 2012-11-27

Photo taken by Philip Chan



Image Attachment: DPP_16.JPG (27/11/2012 17:49, 101.14 KB) / Download count 683
http://hkbws.org.hk/BBS/attachment.php?aid=12996

Author: kkoel    Time: 27/11/2012 18:47

Could it be a Whistling Green Pigeon? The under-tail coverts have such fine white fringes, and there is no conspicuous white belly patch.

In any case, nice capture of a nice bird for Hong Kong!! ^^
Author: aquagras    Time: 27/11/2012 19:02

another photo for confirmation.

Image Attachment: DSC_2190c.jpg (27/11/2012 19:02, 194.62 KB) / Download count 590
http://hkbws.org.hk/BBS/attachment.php?aid=12999

Author: brendank    Time: 27/11/2012 22:31

Yes, does look like a Whistling Green Pigeon. I am not sure at this point whether it is Philippines, Taiwan or Ryukyu Island subspecies.

Congratulations, on a good find!! This makes it a rather bizarre weak on Po Toi being the third bird this week whose appearance is a bit unexpected.
Author: iherman    Time: 27/11/2012 22:59

Great find
Author: lchunfai    Time: 27/11/2012 23:12

Extensive scaling on rear flanks and vent, looks like a heavy and tame pigeon, long undertail coverts and large wing coverts.. these make me think of ryukyu..

Also, there was a Ryukyu Green Pigeon recorded in Tainan few days ago, I see no reasons why there should not be one on Po Toi too.^^
Author: brendank    Time: 27/11/2012 23:30

I think Ryukyu Green Pigeon would be very unlikely in captivity so I would suspect it would be a genuinely wild bird but perhaps ship assisted along the way.

[ Last edited by brendank at 28/11/2012 07:47 ]
Author: lchunfai    Time: 28/11/2012 00:22

By the way, there was a Vivid niltava appeared in Taiwan but out of its normal range at the same time, similar to the one on Po Toi, both birds look untidy.
An experienced birder in Taiwan, SteveM, suggested that these two niltavas may escape from the same ship.

It sounds possible to me.
Author: Jonathmartinez    Time: 28/11/2012 11:29

I find a bit odd that a bird with a Western wintering range that is not known to cross any sea on migration arrived throught a ship on a more eastern place.
I also do not understand for the Taiwan bird, why the theory of a shipped assisted bird is advanced rather than a bird just mooved down from their local breeding range in Taiwan.

For the Po Toi one, if it would have been seen on the same time than a Blue-throated Blue Flycatcher or a Chinese Blue Flycatcher, or a Tickell's, that would have been quite strange, but I think it can't be better than be seen together with a Hill Blue Flys, since they share quite similar range. But I fully agree that it can also indicate that the birds have been bought to the same guy who just received an arrival from Indochina somewhere, just before monk release it:-), but I don't believe for this two species that ship-assisted is a good theory, ship-assisted meaning the bird stopped on a ship during migration over the sea because of bad weather and then fly away by themself once they see Po Toi.
But the theory of released birds from the harbour by the customs police after being sceized on a ship from Vietnam or elsewhere in Indochina could make quite sense. All the birds are sold in the bird market should come from somewhere and ship is probably a good options to hide them for this illegal trading.
I think it could be worth to try contact the custom to ask them if they often release birds when they find some during containers inspection.

All the best,

Jonathan
Author: wgeoff    Time: 28/11/2012 12:22

I don't believe there is any connection between the Flycatcher/Niltava and the Green Pigeon. The Flycatcher/Niltava arrived last Saturday or possibly Friday. The Niltava has always been easy to find although not so the Flycatcher.

The Green Pigeon arrived early on Tuesday morning, judging by its behavior which was typical of a newly arrived bird here on Po Toi.

The bad news is, I have not seen any of them yet today. Strangely, there are fewer birds here today than yesterday. The Green Pigeon may still be here, hiding in some large tree (like the Orange-breasted in 2006-07. But I think the Niltava may have gone and possibly the Flycatcher also.

Sent from Po Toi at 12.20
Author: blackpipi    Time: 28/11/2012 13:11

Quote:
原帖由 lchunfai 於 27/11/2012 23:12 發表
Extensive scaling on rear flanks and vent, looks like a heavy and tame pigeon, long undertail coverts and large wing coverts.. these make me think of ryukyu..

Also, there was a Ryukyu Green Pigeon re ...
I think this Green Pigeon is a Whistling Green Pigeon, Ryukyu subspecies. We have collected some Taiwan and Ryukyu subspecies photos here:
http://nc.kl.edu.tw/bbs/showthread.php?t=47215

The width of undertail covert fringes seems to be a good way to separate these two subspecies(species) Green Pigeons.

[ 本帖最後由 blackpipi 於 28/11/2012 18:16 編輯 ]
Author: wgeoff    Time: 28/11/2012 20:18

Plus the size, according to Birds of East Asia. This was a big pigeon, larger than Spotted Dove and even Oriental Turtle Dove, which would fit the Ryukyu ssp.

Not seen today but it may be hiding somewhere.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 28/11/2012 20:54 ]
Author: kmike    Time: 29/11/2012 22:06

A fabulous record - huge congratulations to the finder!

Cheers
Mike



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